NIJT Belgrade Scouting Reports: Top ProspectsFebruary 25, 2011Described by some scouts as the best long-term prospect seen at this event, Tomas Kyzlink came into this week as a complete unknown, but emerged as someone who will be closely followed in coming years.

Listed at 6-8 on the official tournament roster, but obviously much closer to 6-5 or 6-6, Kyzlink is a physically gifted wing prospect with a great frame and tremendous athleticism. He's an exceptionally quick player with very nice leaping ability. He made a living at the free throw line at this tournament, being virtually impossible for any defender to stay in front of.

A deadly shot-creator thanks to his phenomenal first step, excellent crossover and ability to drive in both directions, Kyzlink gets extremely low to the ground when handling the ball (like all slashers do) and is absolutely decisive trying to get inside the paint. He still has plenty of room to grow with his ability to read half-court defenses, operate with his right hand, and play at different speeds, but the natural talent he shows as a slasher is something that can't be taught.

Kyzlink made a handful of jumpers over the course of this tournament, but clearly still needs to improve as a perimeter shooter. He shows a slow, flat-footed release and doesn't show great confidence in his jumper, for good reason. Able to make some pull-up jumpers in the mid-range area, Kyzlink has good potential that he'd be wise to continue to build on to make the most of his basketball talent.

Defensively, Kyzlink has great tools with his strong frame and excellent athleticism, sometimes coming up with an outstanding play in the form of a block or steal. His experience-level looks pretty limited in this area, particularly on team defense where he looked somewhat lost at times. At 17 years old, he has plenty of time to improve on this end of the floor, especially when you consider the strong competitive nature he shows.

Somewhat of a late bloomer, Kyzlink has made huge strides in his game over the last year from what we've been told. Like other top prospects from his home country, Kyzlink will probably need to leave the Czech Republic fairly soon if he wants to take the next step in his development as a basketball player. While he wasn't quite as polished as some of the other players at this event, none showed the upside of this exceptionally athletic wing. [Read Full Article]